John marx



@auch tat @anni @ffice JOHN- MARX, V0F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

Y Letters Patent No. 71,030, dated November `19, 1867. u

IMPROVEMENT 1N FIRE-escapes.

TO vALL WHOMIT MAYv CONCERN: p

Be it known that I, JOHN'MARX, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe,and State of New York, have invented a. certain new and usefulImprovement in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description thereof, -reference being had totheaccompanying drawings,`makingpart of this specification. y

Figure l is a perspective view 'of my improved fire-escape.

Figure 2, a view of oneof the hooks. l

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both -gures.

My invention consists in the employment of cords and hooks of peculiararrangement and construction,

in connection with a exibl'e tube forming'the escape; and also intheemployment of an enlarged Hap .or sheet at the bottom of the tube,which is held in 'an extendedvpositiovn to catch tho body descending,and thereby As represented inthe drawings, A is a flexible tube, formingthe escape, inade'of strong cloth, or equivalent flexible material. :Iprefer to make this tube, square, in cross-section, as shown. In theangles I secuie lstrong .cordsa a a a, ertendinglongitudinally from topto bottom. At the bottom, 'the cords are simply formed `this is toenable the hooksv to c ut their way through the wood,

into loops b b b b, convenient for holding in the hands. vAt the top,they are attached to hooks c e c c, which, when the tube in use, arehooked inside the sill and the casing of the window. These'h'ooks are ofpeculiar construction, being sharp-edged and pointed, as shown at f, andthe sides bent near' together. The object of y and without goingtoo'deep, when suiieient strain is applied to the cords, afteritheescape has been accomplished. Ordinary hooks take ltoo yraul: a hold ofthe wood, and the tube` cannot be detached without tearing or destroyingit. The sharp edges in this case cut easily in thel wood, and the bendsof the hooks gauge the depth oi cut. At the bottom of the tube is anenlarged flap osisheet, B, attached firmly to the under side of thctube, and'provided with strong loops b b b b', by which it can-beextended and held rmly below the eduction-outlct. The object'of thisflap is to catch the descending body and break the shock, being heldfirmly suspended from the ground by the operators at the bottom.

The great advantage in this. device results .from the employment of thecords a, the sharp-pointed hholis4 c, and the Hap B. I am n otaware thatthese elements have ever before been combined together with a {ireescapetube. The cords not only hold the tube taut and straight,'but, by beingsituated in the `angles, hold it extended Ain form for the passage ofthebody'. They also prevent strain to the tube itself when great force'is applied. l The sharp-pointed hooks hold in the wood with sniicientforce to retain the tube in place, but still are readily drawn out, asbefore described.. The flap is of much service in preserving life andlimb from the rapid descent.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, isiThe arrangement with the lexible tube A of the cords a, sharp-pointedhooks e, and the ilap B, opera-ting in the manner` and for the purposeherein set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my naine in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MARX.

Witnesses:

R. Fi Oscoop, J. A. Davis.

